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  1. gwittman

    Can ARB Fridges be serviced/repaired?

    I have owned my ARB since around the mid 90s and it work just as well now as it did new. It doesn't look as good now because it has a few dents and scratches from a lot of heavy use but functionally it is perfect.
  2. gwittman

    Ford 8.8 rear axle repair/upgrades

    I am surprised an E-150 has a 8.8 axle. That is what they run on the Ranger. If you do any medium to heavy work with you van, you should seriously consider a 9" rear as suggested already.
  3. gwittman

    replacement Wildernest spring

    I don't remember if they are the same or not but it seems if they are mirror images, you could just flip one to get the mirror. Maybe my mind is too simple. I will be opening my Wildernest the weekend. I will try to remember to take a look to see if they are interchangeable.
  4. gwittman

    Air mattress insulation

    I pace an Army blanket (wool) on top of the air mattress, place a good sleeping zero degree bag on that and another Army blanket on top. If it gets under 40 I wear some flannel PJ's with a hoody that I can pull near closed to keep my head and face warm. I have slept comfortably just a few...
  5. gwittman

    The cost of big tires - Is it worth it?

    My Ford Ranger came with 31" tires, which is the same tire size I ran on all my previous off-road vehicles. That includes a 73 FJ55 Landcruiser and I considered those relatively big tires back then. My goal is always to run the tallest tire I can without having to lift the vehicle. I use the...
  6. gwittman

    Another Ignorant AGM Battery Question

    I can usually go 36 hrs or more with my old ARB refrigerator (very basic) unless the outside temperature is more than 90 degrees F. Then I can still get 24 hrs if it doesn't get much over 100. When I use my 100 watt solar panel to charge the battery, I have never run out of enough juice to...
  7. gwittman

    We changed a 4WD van for a couple of cheap motorbikes in Vietnam

    I don't think that is the one, near Chu Lai, I accidentally backed over with a Euclid TS-24 scraper that had 8 ft tall tires while carrying 32 cubic ft of dirt.
  8. gwittman

    Utah in the fall 2015 - 9 days, 475 off-road miles, and 14 hours of digging! (PICS!)

    You brought back memories of some of the trips my first wife and I took back in the late 70s and 80s in our 73 FJ55 Landcruiser. She was very adventurous but was not as brave as your lady. However, she trusted that I would not get us into trouble and I did not do anything I couldn't get out of...
  9. gwittman

    Ford Ranger Rear Spare Tire Carrier

    It sounds like your hitch receiver was not designed for a Ranger (maybe just a bad design) or it would not have not have blocked the spare mounting hardware. I've owned two different Rangers since 89 with hitch receivers and never had any problem with interference of spare tire removal. Both...
  10. gwittman

    Shocks, Bags or Springs? Making it level

    Tires don't work very well with no air either but a lot of people still use them.
  11. gwittman

    Ford Ranger Rear Spare Tire Carrier

    Everybody has their own needs and preferences. I don't have to worry about salt living in SoCal. I considered some type of rear mount so I could carry two spares. Some of the overland trips I take would be safer with two spares. However, I already carry enough weight and really don't want...
  12. gwittman

    Ford Ranger Rear Spare Tire Carrier

    I still use the standard spare tire location on my Ranger. It will definitely hold a 31" tire. I had a 31" in there for many years even with my hitch receiver taking up some of the space. Recently, I put a 32" tire up there. It does not fit all the way up in there but it works well enough...
  13. gwittman

    Shocks, Bags or Springs? Making it level

    Keith, back in 89 I installed add-a-leaf springs on my first Ranger because the Wildernest made the rear sag. It worked well when the shell was on but when I took it off the ride was very stiff. If you plan to have the same load all the time that would work well. I eventually added helper air...
  14. gwittman

    FS: NOS shimano hydralic brakes

    I am interested if AyyLmao doesn't take them.
  15. gwittman

    Wildernest on trailer for sale in CA

    Did you modify the side front windows or is that how it came. I am used to seeing the two small widows in the side front.
  16. gwittman

    Air Lockers vs. electric lockers vs. Cable lockers

    My Ford Ranger came from the factory with a rear Torsen differential. I wanted to install a front selectable locker but couldn't find one. It looked like Ox had one for the Ranger but it ended up being an error in their catalog. I talked with them in detail to see if I could adapt one of...
  17. gwittman

    Calling all Ford Rangers!

    Pete, I agree with you about the jarring ride being primarily due to reduced droop left in the suspension when lifting with the torsion bars. I also think Scott has a point about the angle of the arms but I think it would be a minimal effect. If the angle change was very significant the affect...
  18. gwittman

    Why Should I Regear?

    I have a situation that is both good and bad with regearing. I regeared from 4.10 to 4.56 when I went to 33" off-road tires. They work great with the 33" tires but when I am not going off-road I put the stock size 31" highway tires back on. The low gearing doesn't allow me to run the speeds I...
  19. gwittman

    Canyonlands: White Rim Trail 28 years ago

    My first trip time around the White Rim Trail was around 1980. It is amazing how different it was then. My wife and I spent more than two days exploring it and only came across one other vehicle while there. No reservations were required and you could camp pretty much where ever you wanted...
  20. gwittman

    A problem and an attempted solutiion: 12v fridge and solar charger...

    Martin, I bought a 12 volt, 100 watt solar panel from Solarblvd.com. It has its own controller and is designed to charge a vehicle battery. It folds in half for easier storage. It is basically two smaller panels tied together. It could be hard wired to the battery with a quick disconnect...
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